FilmEdge.net previews an important and timely film which should be on everyone's must-see list: TRUMBO, the story of the infamous, ingenious and irascible award-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted in the anti-Communist witch hunts of the 1940s and '50s.
Directed by Peter Askin from the stage play of the same name written by Christopher Trumbo, this film documents Dalton Trumbo's own words, stories and correspondence as depicted in archival interviews and footage, as well as performances by a cast of today's leading actors including: Joan Allen, Brian Dennehy, Michael Douglas,Paul Giamatti, Nathan Lane, Josh Lucas, Liam Neeson, David Strathairn and Donald Sutherland.
Trumbo's defiance of investigations by the House Un-American Activities Committee and government pressures of censorship in 1947 led to the writer's banishment from credited work as one of the Hollywood Ten. Yet the prolific and combative writer's belief in and fight to preserve civil liberties amid political hysteria ensured the resurrection of his career and indelible place in 20th century history.
SYNOPSIS
TRUMBO is the story of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo’s remarkable journey from Hollywood royalty to blacklisted writer to Academy Award winner. Focusing on the writer’s own indelible words, the film features performances of some of his extraordinary letters, clips from his films and, archival and contemporary interviews with those who knew him best. The film illustrates how one man’s unerring belief in the First Amendment and the power of the written word — plus
a drink or two — empowered him to fight back after being blacklisted by HUAC. Forced to write underground, letter writing became the chief repository of Trumbo’s extraordinary talents, and they serve as a wonderfully entertaining testament to his boundless intellect, acerbic humor, and staggering resilience.
THEATRICAL TRAILER
Watch the trailer for TRUMBO featuring its star-studded cast and controversial author Dalton Trumbo himself, speaking about issues of American liberties and justice which are as timely and newsmaking today as they were half a century ago.
As we debate and decry the abuses of political power, personal freedoms, habeous corpus and the preservation of justice in America today, TRUMBO proves frightenly prophetic and perfectly times for release in 2008. Let the words and actions, defiance and determination of writer Dalton Trumbo ring true for yourself when TRUMBO opens in theaters June 27th.
PREVIEW CLIPS
I've added three film clips previewing TRUMBO, including performances by Paul Giamatti and Donald Sutherland, plus Dalton Trumbo's actual testimony at the House Un-American Activities Committee:
The Telephone Company
Johnny Got His Gun
HUAC Testimony
FilmEdge will continue our coverage of this important film with our upcoming review of TRUMBO soon, and urges you to seek out this bold and astonishing look at American politics and the fight to preserve Constitutional liberties one citizen at a time.
